Inland Revenue Sets up Temporary Sites to Assist Persons File Returns

Some 100 temporary taxpayer service sites have been set up island-wide, to assist self-employed persons and small business operators to complete and file their income tax returns in time for the March 15 income tax deadline.
The sites, which will be up for six-weeks, form part of the Special Taxpayer Service Programme, which is conducted annually by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) in collaboration with the Tax Administration Services and Taxpayer Audit and Assessment Departments, to coincide with the filing period for income tax returns.
Speaking with JIS News, Assistant Commissioner for Taxpayer Service, Venice Ricketts, explained that “the aim of the programme is to assist taxpayers in completing and filing their income tax returns as well as to provide them with information on their rights and obligations as taxpayers”.
“We are encouraging taxpayers to make use of this opportunity and get their returns completed so that they can meet the deadline. This is free of cost and whatever help they may need in filing their returns, we will try to provide it for them,” she informed. Ms. Ricketts noted that while many self-employed persons feel that they do not need to file returns, “the Income Tax Act states that whether you are a self-employed person or a company, you are required to file your income tax returns”.
She warned that persons, who do not file their returns on time, would incur interest and face penalties. “We want to avoid this because we do not want our taxpayers to have to pay interests and penalties,” she said.
Commenting on the response to the taxpayer service sites over the years, Ms. Ricketts said “the feedback from clients has been good as a number of persons have been using the service offered to get assistance”.
She noted however, that persons continue to turn up at the sites without all the necessary documentations and has advised that persons should have in their possession, purchase invoices, receipts, sales records and any other records that could be used to verify income and expenditure so that their taxes can be properly assessed.
The programme officially started on February 1 and will continue through to March 15. Persons may call the toll free tax helpline at 1-888-TAX-HELP or 1-888-829-4357 to identify the location that is most convenient to them.